The One-Night Stand
by jason.yi
Summary: Ryuji and Ami are in their senior year, and it seems like Taiga is never coming back. After an ill-fated evening, Ryuji and Ami must decide what their relationship means. Check in weekly for a chapter update/addition!
1. Chapter 1

"Jeez, what a brutal week," Ami complained as Ryuji dropped the groceries on the ground and started fishing for his keys. "Monday night I spent in Japan. Tuesday morning and afternoon in Singapore, Wednesday night in Taipei, Thursday all-day in Hawaii, Friday and Saturday in Aspen and when I finally get back this morning, you want me to get _vegetables_ with you?"

"Hey, it's Kitamura's birthday - and our last year in high school. Just this once, please, Ami-chan, give it up?" Ryuji pleaded.

"Hmph." Ami pouted at him, then walked through the door and plunked down on the tatami, checking her reflection in her phone screen. Ryuji retrieved a huge chunk of beef from the oven, and had thrown it into the boiling soup when Ami asked mildly "Have you talked with Taiga recently?"

Ami watched the the back of the apron and smirked when Ryuji's shoulders visibly jumped, the stirring spoon clattering onto the floor. _After all this time, he still loves her,_ she thought, with a vague sort of discomfort, but shook it off quickly.  
>Several moments passed before Ryuji picked up the spoon. He wiped the wooden floor with a well-used rag, then retrieved a lid from an upper cabinet. Ami watched, somewhat dispassionate, then went back to her phone as Ryuji mechanically broke out the vegetables for cutting. <em>It was probably a little early to be asking him that. A smaller nudge might've been better. <em>Ami sighed softly, and stared morosely out the dark window.

She had waited a month after Taiga's departure to begin casting out her metaphorical line: catching him on the way to school, "accidentally" brushing against him in the halls or at lunch, making sure to send him late-night texts saying all the right things. He had seemed impregnable at first, but compounding her personal beauty and Taiga's prolonged silence, that barrier wouldn't last long, and Ryuji would crack. They always did. "Still got to put in the work though,"Ami muttered disconsolately, and sighed again.

The sound almost made her miss the hoarse "No" that was finally offered up from the kitchen. The violet-eyed girl turned curiously to look at the boy with the delinquent eyes - he had set down the knife, and was busy rummaging around in the refrigerator. For a moment, Ami wondered if she'd imagined the low voice when Ryuji suddenly turned around, and caught her staring at him.

"Oh, uh, want a melon soda?" Ryuji held up two drinks, a slight blush in his cheeks, and Ami nodded demurely. She felt her ears grow warm, but caught the bottle neatly as Ryuji threw one to her and walked over to the living room table. The dark-haired boy plunked down heavily on the green tatami with a short huff, popped the cap on the yellow soda, and took a deep thirsty pull, his throat moving sharply as he gulped. Ami smirked at the sight of his bobbing Adam's apple, and Ryuji's eyes opened to look at her as if he heard the smile. _You cutie_, Ami thought, then unceremoniously grabbed him into a tight embrace against her breasts, flooding him with the sheer freesia fragrance she had put on that morning. A sharp gasp came from under the mass of dark hair, and after holding him against her a moment longer, Ami shoved him away, making sure her face showed none of the sensations currently being created by her galloping heart. "For my best guy friend!" she explained cheerily as Ryuji rubbed his face, which had turned a dark puce. "We-we-well..." Ryuji stammered furiously.

Ryuji's phone suddenly buzzed. He checked it, still with an embarrassed countenance, then did a double take as he saw the caller ID. Kitamura. Ryuji picked it up: "Hello?"

Ami listened closely, and picked up faint traces of the conversation. "Oh, I'm sorry...No, it's fine, I was only halfway through preparing dinner anyways, I can stick most of it in the refrigerator...no, it's totally fine. Have a nice evening with your parents. Yeah...just Ami, I guess, Minori isn't here yet..."

Ami's phone vibrated sharply in kind, and she read the screen. _New Message (1) from Minori _Her violet eyes widened as she opened it and read silently:

_Gomen-nasai, Ami-chan! Can't make it to Kitamura's party tonight - Boss is making me stay because I dropped a pile of dishes while washing them. Sorry again - I'll make it up to you guys someday! Give my congratulations to Kitamura, please - thank you! -Minori_

Ryuji hung up the phone, and plucked thoughtfully at a strand of hair. "Seems like Kitamura's folks sprung a surprise dinner on him - he can't make it tonight. Guess I'll just keep it down to three servings then." He glanced at Ami, who bit her lip. "What's wrong?"

Ami cocked her head, and gave him a bemused smile. "Just keep the servings to two. Minori can't make it either - her boss is making her stay a bit longer." Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "Which means, it's just us two tonight."

"Oh. I see." Ryuji seemed stunned, then went back into the kitchen and started shoving the various dishes into the refrigerator. Ami's gaze followed him, her eyes sparkling now. Taking a deep breath, she eventually got up and walked over nonchalantly next to Ryuji. "Here, let me help you." She stretched her arm over him as if she were reaching for something high up on the cabinet, but suddenly their arms became entangled, she pulled sharply, and they fell down in a heap on the floor.

"Are you okay?" Ami asked innocently, her violet eyes huge and concerned. Ryuji touched the side of his head gingerly, groaning, and Ami suddenly put her arms around his neck, hugging him. "Hey, I'm sorry Ryuji. You're hurting, right? Where?" She shifted her head off his shoulder. "Here?" Ami pressed her lips to his cheek, and felt him stiffen. His breathing seemed to stop. "No? Let me look some more." Her voice grew huskier. "Maybe here?" She kissed the red mark where Ryuji had hit the drawer handle, and gradually started to shift to the right. "I'm really sorry, Ryuji." Her lips were right at his ear now, and she whispered, her breath loud and hot in his hearing: "Let me make it up to you."

Ami suddenly drew back, looking at Ryuji, his dazed expression, full of wonder. Cocking her head in detached amusement, she leaned in.

Ami's lips drew very near his, hesitated, then after a beat she murmured "Oh fuck it all," and her mouth closed on his. He dribbled kisses cautiously down her neck, and Ami groaned softly in triumph. Ryuji pushed her slowly up, his breathing harsh and hot against her neck now. She kissed him again, bodies still locked into each other, they fumbled for the bedroom.


	2. Chapter 2

_Why do we fall?_ Ryuji rolled out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom to wash his face. The night still hung heavy outside, and he glanced up at Taiga's apartment window, black of course. Ryuji turned on the water and looked in the mirror - a haggard, red-eyed boy stared back at him. Ryuji suddenly realized there were small tears streaming down his reflection's face, and his hand reached up cautiously, as if afraid of what he might find. He looked at his fingertips with a vision that grew blurrier by the second, and rubbed his thumb absently. Wet.  
>Ryuji finally collapsed on the ground, weeping heavily as if his heart had been saving up all its pain over the past two months and suddenly decided to rip asunder.<p>

Twenty feet away, Ami curled up on his futon and listened to him.

"Good morning!" Minori raised up her hand in her usual good cheer as Ryuji and Ami approached the hallway. They still hadn't talked, not really, only the quiet murmurs and mumbles over breakfast. "Hey, what's the issue?" Minori assumed a searching look, bending over to look at Ryuji - meanwhile Ami pushed past them without a word and walked into her classroom, where she sat and put her head on her desk, staring vacantly out the window. Ryuji winced, then, seeing nothing could be done without causing a scene, mechanically stumbled up to the third floor, Minori still dogging at his heels. "Hey, if it's about yesterday, I'm really sorry I couldn't make it. I made a mistake at work, and Boss made me stay for another three hours. Sorry!" Minori bowed in apology as Ryuji adjusted his hair, then muttered an incoherent word of comfort. He cleared his throat, then audibly choked out "See you" as they came to the conjunction in the hall.

"See you later, Ryuji!" Minori waved brightly, then bounced into her classroom on the left. Ryuji stared after her, and pinching tightly the strand of hair that hung out from his head, he took a deep breath and walked into his classroom as the bell rang.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Had some spare time and a TON of steam to blow off - hope you guys enjoy the splurge of writing (might do 2 or 3 chapters tonight). This will probably happen infrequently, so bear with me and stay tuned :DD)**

Ryuji counted carefully on one hand, using the other to pull open the heavy glass door that lead inside to Sudoh-Bucks. Ten days. Ten days since he had last spoken to Ami, asking her to let loose about Kitamura's birthday. A deep sigh was drawn out of him as he approached the counter, and he looked up to read the cashier's name-tag. _Minori Kushieda. _Ryuji looked up farther, to see Minori's beaming eyes staring at him, and she suddenly burst out in laughter, loud, healthy gales and snickers that made Ryuji smile for the first time in a while.

"Hi, Minori." He adjusted his hair, embarrassed as Minori slowly subsided to the odd chuckle.

"Your expression, _your expression_, it was golden! You looked so surprised!" She started to giggle again, then took a deep breath in a mighty effort to compose herself. "So, Ryuji, what can I get you?"

"Two mint mocha chip frappuccinos. Both medium-sized, thanks Minori," a quiet voice spoke behind Ryuji, turning him to ice. A flawless hand reached around and pushed forward a one-thousand yen bill, then quickly withdrew.  
>"Of course, anything for you, Ami!" Minori said with her usual good cheer. Ryuji turned around and was suddenly confronted by Ami's furious violet eyes, tension now crackling like steel through the air between them. <em>Like last Sunday<em>, Ryuji thought to himself, and Ami seemed to lose some of her fire at his change of expression.

"86 yen back." Minori cocked her head at two, confused.

"No, thank you Minori, just drop it in the tip jar." Ami's voice was deceptively sweet - a moment later, she seemed to come to a decision, and grabbed him towards the farthest booth.

"Wait, Ami!" Ryuji protested, but her unrelenting grip was like iron, and she sat him down, scooting into the seat across from him.

"We need to talk," Ami hissed. She was livid.

"First off, I have a question, one of many: Why, in the name of all that is holy, does it have to be ME talking to YOU? Huh? I get you needed some time to maybe cool off, but _ten_ days. Ten. Freaking. Days. All that time, you didn't drop a word to me. Did you think I was just going to go away after I gave up my-" she collected her strength, then spat out the remainder: "-_my virtue_?"

Ryuji suddenly leaned across the table. "Hold up, Ami. From what I can remember, _you_ were the one to - "

"To what? Fuck a guy I used to love? Okay, sure. Yeah, I did it with you. I thought when I fell asleep ten days ago that that we were good, that we had created something that might last beyond this small-town life. I thought everything would be fine as long as we stayed true to each other - so no, in that respect I didn't regret screwing you - I do now, but that's a side point, anyways - I just don't understand how we can do _that_, and have you just completely blow it off like it was nothing!"

"Well, maybe it's difficult to have known you a little more intimately than I would've like to, yet still be able to imagine looking Taiga in the eye and tell her I love her!" he snapped back, and suddenly Ami shushed him, glancing around the shop which was thankfully empty. She settled back and glared furiously at the wall, her cobalt hair still falling cutely around her immaculate features. Ryuji ignored her and picked at a strand.

He took a breath to talk, just as Ami did the same, then felt his cheeks go hot as he withdrew.

"What were you going to say?" Ami looked at him sharply, arms crossing across her breasts, and Ryuji did a double take as a unintended thought drifted into his mind. He shook his head, and -

"Well, well! Who would've thought we'd _ever_ see the day Ami and Ryuji went out for coffee alone? My little children are so CUTE." Minori dropped two mocha drinks topped with heavy whipped cream in front of them, then bent over in a seemingly confidential whisper to the supposed son: "But, Ryuji, if this somehow leads to Taiga getting hurt…" She leaned closer, and suddenly her face transformed into one of an unstoppable determination: "...I intend to flay you alive. Do you understand?" Ryuji nodded dumbly, and Minori smiled in good cheer. "Have a nice day!" she threw over her shoulder as she left the table.

Ryuji turned back to Ami, who put her chin on her hands and smirked at him. "So." She raised an eyebrow.

He shrugged helplessly, and tried to talk, but his voice was hoarse, so he cleared his throat mightily before trying again: "Listen, Ami...I can't love you, not in the purest sense; I can't date you either. Taiga was - is - my world. I was fully prepared to marry her only two months ago." He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Anyways, the point is I can't make an about-face _now _and give up on her just because we haven't talked in a long time. That night was my fault, my moment of weakness, okay? I'm really sorry if…" His voice trailed off as Ami closed her eyes, then opened them with a sort of steely resolve. "Ryuji. Takasu. Do you still remember what I said to you when we were searching for Taiga's Christmas star in the shelves that one day? When we were setting up the picture to text to Taiga after she skipped town?"

"Oh." Ryuji thought about it, then shook his head. "Not exactly, sorry."

"I said the reason I was so desperate for people to accept me was because I hated myself when I pretended to be an adult. And also that if there was at least one person who understood me, I'd be okay. You were that person for the longest time. I didn't have to be an adult or put on a mask when I was in that space between the two drink machines. I don't want to be an adult either now. I don't want to have to control my feelings, or put another damn mask on. I've done that for as long as I can remember, and I'm _so sick_ of it." She gave him a beautiful sidelong gaze as he stared mutedly into the chocolate depths of the heavy drink. "Besides, Ryuji. Can you really tell me, honestly, to my face, that over the past year I've been here that you've never, not even once, been attracted to me?"

Ryuji's heart leaped painfully, and his fist continued to tighten beneath the table. His mouth opened, then closed in a grim line. Ami examined him carefully, then remarked with an almost sad tone "I didn't think so." When Ryuji looked up again, she was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Do me a favor, shoot me a review. Always looking for new insights on how to improve my writing.**

Ami rolled over to the other side, eyes still shut tight, but it was cold and the cold woke her the way a child might submerge herself at the bottom of a pool, noises muted, her breath in her ears, and suddenly the water rushing all around as the light grows brighter and brighter with the rising and the surf-

She opened her eyes, and her breath left her in a long, drawn-out sigh. Ami snuggled back into her thick blankets, trying to rediscover the heaviness of sleep, but it was too late. She was awake, and there wasn't much to do about it. Ami's hand groped around blindly on the nightstand, and her fingers eventually closed on the blue watch she had bought last year in Seoul. It was supposed to be a gift to her mother, but strangely enough, there had never seemed to be a good opportunity - she checked the time and groaned. 3:17 am. _What is life_, Ami thought as she turned on the lamp, which threw a soft yellow glow on the cozy room. Yawning, she stood up, stretched mightily, and checked herself out in the mirror. A slim, gorgeous girl with cobalt hair and striking violet eyes stared back at her. _With a rack and assto seduce any guy_, she thought dryly, and the girl in the mirror smirked back at her. She tried one of her trademark winks, then stretched her eyes out to slits with her fingers. Mirror-Ami laughed at the sight. _Well, almost any guy…_ Mirror-Ami dropped the smile, and sank down on the bed, exhausted.

A long silence passed, and Ami suddenly let out an ear-splitting yell at the ceiling, and the lamp was sharply dragged out of its socket by the bed and thrown in the direction of the mirror. _CRACK! _Mirror-Ami suddenly exploded in a spiderweb of shards, a few polished silvery pieces of glass dropping down from the wooden frame

Drained now of everything, Ami slid from the bed to the wall, and mechanically started pulling clothing from the hangers, changing quickly out of her blue pajamas. After a beat, she took the watch from the nightstand, and fitted it on her wrist. Making sure to close the door softly, Ami took a deep breath and left the house.

_Quiet._ That was the first thing that came to mind. _It's really quiet. _Ami walked past a convenience store window, and in its reflection she automatically checked herself. A cute magenta winter jacket, white cable knit hat, soft orange sweater, white scarf, tight midnight blue jeans. American fur boots. Even dazed, she still had the touch - Ami gave the window a winning smile, one that her agent ordered her to spend two hours perfecting before the Aspen shoot, the day before she and Ryuji… The smile became bitter, and Ami turned from the window with a sudden disgust. Her footsteps pattered away quickly.

After a distance, she reached a familiarly bent telephone pole. Ami glanced up its length, and remembered that Ryuji once told her about the day Taiga (and a certain dog of servitude) decided to go all out on the pole - Ami gave it a robotic tap with her foot, and walked the next two blocks to Ryuji's house, feeling a little better. Seeing the dark windows, she walked quietly up its creaky steps, careful not to step too heavily on any one plank, and sat down at the top. She admired the stars for a while, then looked heavily at the empty street. "Hey, Ryuji," Ami said softly. "It's not really much of a view, but I bet you never cherished it, huh. Took it for granted, like everything else around you? Neh, Ryuji?" Ami turned to look at the window.

Of course, it was empty, and she laughed a little at the sight of it before leaning back against the door. "You're not a very fair guy, are you?" Ami whispered. "Not very fair at all. But I guess that's okay. If I can just see you once in a while, if you could just let me admire you, even from far away, and smile at me occasionally, I'm okay with that. I'm okay with you. I'll be okay, I just need to believe that. But for the love of _God_, Ryuji, it hurts. It _hurts_. My _heart_, just - " Ami's voice cracked, and she buried her head into her knees, hurting more than ever, knowing _he_ was sleeping soundly on one side of the door while she suffered a throbbing heartache that seemed to rip and tear in her chest. Ami willed the tears to come, prayed with all her might for a great healing torrent, but nothing came except the hurt, the _damned_ hurt that always persisted and when the sky began to lighten with the coming dawn, she pulled the knit hat close over her eyes, stumbled home to her bed where the lamp shards were still mixed together with the glass ones, and immediately collapsed into a deep sleep, where the hurt mingled with the stuff of her dreams.


	5. Chapter 5

"Oh, Ami? I saw her walking up to the drink machines not too long ago," Haruta offered, hands in pockets and blue hair still long as ever.

"Thanks, Haruta." Minori left the classroom quickly, and Ryuji gave her a moment before scooting out of his corner seat and starting after the pink-haired girl. Dodging through the third-year hall, Ryuji carefully slid next to the corner leading up to the machines, and listened.

"Are you okay?" Minori's voice was soft and concerned. When no response was forthcoming, she continued: "I heard from Nanako you dropped your lunch today in second period, when you were getting out your books...you seem worn out."

After a while, Ami replied, low and dejected. "I hardly slept last night. But thanks for checking up on me, I'm okay." Then her voice dropped to a whisper that Ryuji had to strain himself to hear: "I have to be."

"Nonsense; you look like a dried prune. Why don't you come play some softball with me and Kitamura after school? You know what they say, tons and tons of exercise for the downtrodden spirit!" Ryuji imagined Minori pumping her first excitedly at Ami, and smiled involuntarily at the sight.

"I'll pass, thanks Minori."

"Aww, but Ami - "

"I said, I'll pass." Ryuji risked a short peek around the corner to find Minori sitting down against the low wall across from the drink machines, Ami tucked away from sight in the space between them.

"Do you have anything to tell me?" Minori prompted, and a deep sigh came from Ami's nook.

A distant door slammed, making Ryuji jump guiltily, and he withdrew from the corner, sinking down silently onto the tiled floor. Around the corner, Ami continued to hesitate, but eventually asked in a tight voice, "Minori, do you think Ryuji's changed recently?"

"Ryuji?" He could read the surprise in Minori's tone. Then she remarked, "You know what, that's _so_ true. He's become really moody these past few days, like even moodier than when Taiga first left. And I feel like he hasn't had lunch or talked with us in a while - just sits in the classroom and throws the odd mope."

Ami mumbled her agreement, then asked another question, her voice betraying only a figment of her caution: "Hey Minorin, do you think I'm a bad person?"

Minori laughed. "Of course not, Ami. You're sweet, beautiful, and even nice now, after dropping that bratty princess attitude. What made you think otherwise?"

"Nothing really, I just wanted to ask." Overhead, the bell rang loudly, and Minori's feet shuffled as she got up. Ryuji glanced around again to see her offering a hand to Ami, who presumably shook her head and responded: "You go on, I'll be there in a second. I just need a moment."

Minori paused, then acceded with a wry smile. "Alright then, see you at lunch. We'll be waiting!" She bounced down the stairs, pink hair flying behind her as she disappeared, and Ami leaned back into her alcove. Ryuji slowly emerged from his.

"Yo. You alright?" Ami looked up dispiritedly at Ryuji, then to the wall where her gaze stayed. He took the chance to study her - she looked tired, to be sure, but that fact simply could not mar her extreme, well, _hotness_. The flawless features, the cute, slightly upturned nose, smooth cobalt hair falling down around-

"_Hey, it's cold, so let's do it one more - " Taiga whispered, the white makeshift veil draped around her like a hood. He leaned forward, and their lips touched again._

Ryuji suddenly felt sick to his stomach, and he dropped down to the wall opposite Ami, and rested his head on his forearms.

"Takasu." Ryuji continued to look down, but snapped, "What is it?"

A long silence stretched between the pair as they waited for his retort to fade away into the walls, then Ami exhaled deeply through her nose, and suddenly began to speak in a rush, as if she'd been holding onto her words for a long time:

"I'm sorry, I know you're thinking about Taiga. I really don't understand what I was thinking that night, I just let my feelings get the better of me, and - " she took a shuddering breath "- I guess things just got out of hand. It was a stupid thing to do, I was tired, I wasn't thinking clearly. Really, my bad, I'm sorry."

Ryuji replied instinctively, "There's nothing to apologize for," but Ami plowed on, oblivious:

"It's just….I have it _bad_. Like really bad. It took every bit of what whatever inner strength I possessed not to scream at the ceiling when you left that one night with her - I know I ought to try to be happy for you, rejoice in your joy and everything, but it's a lot easier said than done. Ryuji Takasu, you can really drive a girl nuts, you know that?" Anger flashed across Ami's face, and she returned to glaring bitterly at the wall.

An idea suddenly struck him - Ryuji lifted his gaze, his forehead red and indented from the prolonged contact against his shirtsleeve, and scooted across the floor to Ami. He clasped her hands into his, and Ami whipped her head around, violet eyes huge. Ryuji jumped at her momentary hesitation, and asked, "Ami, do you really love me?"

She made an exasperated sound, and muttered demurely, "Of course. Always have."

"Do you love me enough to respect my choices, and know that even if I might, in the end, choose to be with another, you can still find in me a devoted friend?"

Ami's hands clenched in his, and she answered through gritted teeth, "That's a bastard question, Ryuji, and I know exactly what's going to happen if I answer "yes" - you'll release my hand, get up, kiss me on the forehead if I'm lucky, then mumble some excuses and walk out without any major scars. Then when Taiga comes back, you'll be able to look her in the eye and tell her you love her, with no remaining baggage." Ryuji flinched as she continued. "I can even understand why it's a solution. You and I both know you're blameless. That kind of...loving devotion, I guess, takes years to build, and you just got caught in a unguarded moment. So, I get that it's actually just my fault, and that I ought to stop blowing some lousy piece of ass out of proportion and move on."

Ami suddenly buried her eyes into her knees, and spoke brokenly, "But you're _you_. You gave me a chance, when I was busy switching from one persona to the other, you were the one who saw through all the drivel. Ryuji, you saw that I could change for the better, that I deserved a better future than an eternal masked ball. You _believed_ in me. That's the only reason Kitamura and Minori accepted me, even unconsciously. That's the only reason I realized that I was completely fine with my own identity. I have you to thank for everything I am, so please, _damnit_, I'm _begging_ you, don't make me say yes. Just know that the answer isn't a no either." Ami rose wearily, dragging her warm hands out of Ryuji's, who scrambled up as well. "Ryuji, I need to go to class."

"Ami." He thrust an arm in front of her, barring her way, and Ami scowled at him.

"What else could you possibly want from me?"

Ryuji didn't answer - to be honest, he didn't quite know. Ami's plea had suddenly left him feeling drained and sapped, and at the moment, Ryuji simply wanted to jump onto his futon and sleep for an eternity. He glanced at her, the violet eyes returning his gaze in naked anguish.

On a sudden impulse he had absolutely no control over, Ryuji stepped forward, his lips closing on hers, his arms reaching around to hold her. Ami gasped sharply into his mouth, then after a moment, returned his kiss. The air between them was almost unbearably hot when they finally broke apart, Ryuji's heart pounding furiously, painfully. Ami placed a hand on his chest, and smiled genuinely for the first time in days. "Men," she snorted in mock disgust, pushing Ryuji hard, but grabbed his arm as he pinwheeled wildly, laughing. "What a klutz!"

"Oh my god Ami, please," Ryuji retorted indignantly. Ami continued to snicker, but lead him by the hand downstairs to her classroom, next to the door where she dropped his arm.

"What time is it?" she asked, face turned away. Ryuji held up his watch, and his eyes widened in horror. "Oh no, we're twenty minutes late - better get in!" he whispered urgently.

"Mm." Ami turned around, her eyes surprisingly steady. She took a breath, and suddenly remarked in a critical tone, "Ryuji, you really fucked up today. You fucked up _hard_. But I'm happy that you did, and I think you might be too, even just a little bit." And with that, Ami Kawashima disappeared into her room, leaving Ryuji outside, the taste of her spearmint bubble gum still lingering on his lips.

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who read/favorited/reviewed my story! You guys are amazing 3 On another note, I apologize in advance for not being able to update as often - school for me begins in about two and a half weeks, and I have a bunch of placement tests to study for. I'm sure I'll find some time in between to write though, so check back often, or hit that follow button to save yourself the trouble. Thanks again - Jason**


	6. Chapter 6

"Oda Nobunga - the second son of Oda Nobuhide, he threw ceremonial incense at the altar during his father's funeral in 1551, causing his mentor Hirate Masahide to commit _seppuku_, and also alienating many of his father's retainers…" Ami put down her pencil and popped the headphones onto the desk, glancing at the white plastic watch as she stretched. _23:37. _

_Wow, geez, it's late, _Ami thought, and her foot accidentally clunked against the brown box of audio tapes, still heavy with unstudied history material - a gift from Ryuji. "I was just thinking modeling has got to be one of the most hectic jobs out there, so I brought you this," he had said as he dropped the box in front of her that morning. "They're audio recordings from my history cram class, and since the national center test is coming up in January, I thought you could make better use of them than I could. You _are_ going to university, right?"

"Oh...of course." Ami had picked up the cardboard box, her ears a little hot, but the casual wear helped - white short shorts, sky blue tank top, hair tied back into a perfect ponytail, Ami knew she looked good. She returned his split-second glance frankly, then nodded inside, saying, "Come in. It'd be a shame to let you come this far out without giving you something to eat. No arguing." Ami dropped the box inside the door, and dragged him into the spacious living room. "Make yourself at home." she said sweetly before sweeping into the kitchen.

It took only a minute or two before Ami heard the couch creak and Ryuji's tread on the tatami. He brushed into the doorway, and Ami instantly tossed an apple at him. Ryuji blinked once and caught it, then began to turn the orb over and over as if its pale core held a suitable reply. "Look-" he eventually began, "-look, I was -". He stopped, and took a breath. Ami gave him a look. He restarted: "Look, don't ever think that I hate you for what happened. We've always cared for each other, even if we haven't always been the best of friends." _Ryuji leaving Taiga and chasing down Ami at the bake stand after she left. Ryuji retrieving her shoe after she refused to advertise for the school_. Ami looked up at him. "To be honest...I love Taiga. We both know that. But I can't deny that a small part of me…" Ryuji's voice died in his throat. Ami reached out and took his hand. He tried again. "I can't deny that...maybe...a small part of me loves you too." He turned his face away, ears red. _The plates, tiles? Shoes?_ Ami's gaze flew around the room for something to look at, and eventually settled for left hand. Her right hand was still clasped around Ryuji's.

She gave him a few moments before gently asking: "Takasu?" He glanced back, and she mentally steeled herself before asking "Don't you think I've known that for a while now? I'm not stupid, you know." He looked stunned and let go of her hand. Ami continued "This whole thing is fucked up. You love Taiga more than you love me. Go to her. You can't expect me to get over you if this keeps happening. Any other person, if you had helped me less, I would've called you a rascal just sticking around his besotted prey, looking for sexual favors. Don't make me change that opinion." She leaned against the wall, arms folded. "We're friends now. That's all."

Ryuji was quiet for a moment. "Friends. That's all?" Ami nodded in reply. "That's all?" Ami started to nod, but Ryuji was suddenly beside her, touching her fingers, dizzying her with a light cologne she had never realized he wore but now seemed so familiar to her. She tried punching him with her last vestige of strength, but her fist held no strength behind it and fell lifeless against Ryuji's chest instead. "Ryuji-" she began weakly, but he hushed her with a finger against her lips. "Don't say anything", he whispered. "Otherwise I might regain my senses". Ami's eyes widened.

_Sucks to suck_, Ami thought ruefully as she popped back her earbuds and stared back at Ryuji, sleeping peacefully on her bed.


End file.
